THE MORE THE MERRIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 135, 10 June 1927, Page 5

THE MORE THE MERRIER.

WEDDED AND WEDDED AGAIN.

RESPONSIBILITIES OF AN

ELDERLY MAN.

VARIATION OF ORDER SOUGHT

'•'You took another wife with three children, when you had this thing hanging round your neck," Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., told Paul Paulsen (Mr. J. F. W. Dickson), when he made an application in the Magistrate's Court this morning for the variation of a Supreme Court maintenance order made in respect to Mary Ann Paulsen (Mr. I. J. Goldstine). The order concerned Paulsen's second wife, his first one having died. The court order fixed alimony in the case at £2 a week, and the application for variation was brought under Section 8 of the Destitute Persons' Amendment Act, 1926.

It was contended by Mr. Goldstine that the Magistrate's Court had no jurisdiction to vary the order, although it had power under the Act to enforce the order, and it was arranged that the question of variation be decided on the facts, without considering the legal question of jurisdiction.

In February last the order was reduced to £1 a week, and Paulsen sought a further reduction. The magistrate, however, held that his circumstances warranted him paying £1 a week, and refused to reduce the order further. He warned Paulsen. a man of 56 years, that he must remember that if he could not get work, work would be provided for him at Mount Eden.